I am a wearing a suit today. I know, big whoop, hold the front page, etc etc. But it's rarity for me. I usually get suit anxiety the second I am standing in one. I used to put this down to the fact that weddings, which is the only time I usually wear suits, make me twitch with nervous excitement. But the me-wearing-a-suit thing has been brewing for a while. I almost wore one to the menswear day during London fashion week in September, but stalled at the last hurdle. I was tired and fatigue and new clothes don't mix. Nevertheless, I'm obviously not alone in re-evaluating the suit.

The high street reports a spike in sales of tailored clothing, possibly because X Factor's golden sartorial duo Dermot O'Leary and Gary Barlow are doing the look justice. Or it could simply be that the double-breasted trend which has been burning slowly all year is set to continue into next year; at Matches press day this week the Spring 2012 look was heavy on double-breasted suits. If you're looking for catwalk inspiration, Lanvin's autumn/winter show is a good place to start for all manner of coats, hats, ties and knits thrown into the tailoring-suiting mix. COS, who I wrote about in last week's column, do some of the best suits on the high street, while Topman's affordable range isn't to be sniffed at either.

The good news this season for shy suit-wearers is that there are lots of fine gauge crew neck jumpers around (such as this range from Uniqlo), which I think is a good entry level suit styling option. It dresses things down, but also removes the need for trying to add a coat into the mix when it's cooler. Polo necks and suits are this season's swish way to fashion up your suit- see YSL for a good example.

I should probably confess that, while I have put the suit on today (and didn't even hide it under my Gap parka), I have also given it a casual tilt. This is the same approach I always use; smart trousers often get dressed down with trainers (today it's navy New Balance), while jeans get dressed up with a smart shirt or shoes.

But the suit-with-trainers look is borderline controversial, isn't it? For many the wearing of trainers with suits is just against the dress code (self-imposed or otherwise). And even though it's a look I embrace, this morning's journey to work was marred by laces getting tangled up in the trouser hem. Cue a lot of weird ankle shaking on the tube platform to sort that out.

And while we're talking practicalities, the strap of my bag dragged on the suit shoulder and totally threw out the line of the jacket. I can see why briefcases were invented and why document folders are having a moment. Even if you can't carry a coffee while sending an email and holding your bag all at once.

5 other menswear considerations this week

Marni leather bags PR

• If money were no object, Marni's leather and wool shopper bags would be a sleek addition to the world of menswear. £195, marni.com

• Returning briefly to the suit theme, Mark Ronson wore head to toe pink this week at the Versace H&M New York bash. Now, I am all for men wearing more colour but this might be taking it a bit far, particularly the matching shoes. Bold colour needs anchoring with something a bit more sober. For example, when Tinie Tempah wore pink trousers with a white T-shirt and dark blazer. See also Jil Sander autumn/winter where, admittedly, designer Raf Simons did show a head-to-toe (darker) pink suit, but elsewhere his bolds were tempered with darker hues.

• Party season is brewing on the high street. Bow tie sales are up a massive 120% at House of Fraser, with Paul Smith's leopard one doing particularly brisk trade.

• Meanwhile, M&S have launched a made to measure party shirt service. Prices start from £45, with choice of 25+ fabrics, collar options, sleeve-shapes and pocket-styles. Basically you're the designer of your office disco shirt. Fancy. Last orders for Christmas are 1 December.

• The jumper of the week comes from Burton's new Montague collection in the form of a mighty cable-fronted, speckled cream, chunky roll-neck for £60. The coats and jackets from this range, including a duffle, are also well worth a butchers.